Please go back in time with me to 2001, Thoreau Demonstration Academy, Tulsa, OK. I am a new sixth grader. I just switched up my hair style from a classic buzz to a classic flat top (Sharpie orange hair), pasty, holding on to some of that pre-puberty chub (still working that off..), and just overall killing the game. But my life was about to change. I ended up going to the dentist and optometrist in the fall and got some huge news: I needed braces and glasses. I had no interest in getting either of these, but I was told my life would be better in the future if I would handle these issues now. If not, my eyes and teeth would only get worse. But I’d be called four-eyes and brace face and I didn’t want that. I lacked vision for my life with straight teeth and not straining so much to see. So, I agree to them. In the same week, and I’m still not totally sure why God would allow this, I got braces AND glasses. I came to school and people had to do a double take to make sure it was me. Hindsight is 20/20, though, and I am so grateful I had some vision for what those years of braces and glasses would do for me.
Cast Vision for Kaleo
The “C” of SMC is Cast Vision for Kaleo. We all remember our first Kaleo, right? With years of being on staff, we can forget what all it took for us to make that decision to give up that first summer to grow in our faith. God used that summer to change your life forever. From salvations to life purposes, God uses Kaleo every year. Our hope in casting vision for Kaleo at SMC is to help people act on prioritizing their spiritual growth. We see on campus that it tends to take an increasing sacrifice for someone to make a big decision. They meet with you, maybe go to a large group, join a bible study, go to SMC, keep meeting with you, potentially share their faith, and then go to Kaleo. Those decisions were all built on the previous ones. So we take the momentum from SMC and apply it to the summer five months away.
The video reveal in the main session, Kaleo lunch presentations, that Chick-Fil-A bagged lunch, and your regions swag giveaway all play a part in getting people to consider Kaleo. And just filling out the Kaleo application on the spot makes people reconsider their summer plans. Those seemingly small things all build into the small sacrifices these students have made and the culmination of all of it is where God can move. He moves in the decision to respond to your text, the willingness to go to that meeting, going to SMC, and going to Kaleo.
Now is Kaleo the end all be all for spiritual growth? No, and I think we can all agree on that. But it is absolutely the best thing for a college student.
It’s a Brazilian steakhouse vs Golden Corral. At a Brazilian steakhouse, you sit and eat your fill of all the finest meats. That’s Kaleo. Where at Golden Corral, (not dogging it, I’ve enjoyed my visits there), you have to get up, survey all your options, pick what you want, go back, sit down, eat, and then get up and do it all over again. This is other summer options. We want SMC to be a conference where students experience Spiritual Firsts, Momentum for Campus Movements, and Cast Vision for Kaleo. Our prayer is that God would use SMC to bring more people to Himself and to raise up more laborers.
Discuss:
How has God used Kaleo in your life over the years?
When did you decide to go to Kaleo for the first time?
How could SMC help you raise up more laborers? How does Kaleo play a part in that?